Blood Cancer Research

The focus of the Blood Cancer Research Group is to understand the lymphoma tumour microenvironment. Doing so, will assist in the identification of patients at high-risk of responding poorly to conventional therapies. It will also enable the design of novel immunotherapeutic strategies that are less toxic and more effective.

The group has a strong emphasis on patient material, which it obtains from international and national clinical collaborators. Lymphomas studied include Hodgkin Lymphoma, Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder, Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus associated lymphomas. We utilise a broad range of approaches including genomics, molecular techniques and functional immunoassays. Several of our studies have resulted in large national investigator-led clinical trials run through the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group. Current funding sources include the NHMRC, MRFF and Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Group Members

• Dr Karolina Bednarska
• Dr Jay Gunawardana
• Dr Soi Law
• Isabelle Putt
• Dr Joshua Tobin
• Andreea Zaharia

Clinician Researchers

• Dr Karthik Nath
• ​Dr Mohamed Shanavas

Students

• Muhammed B Sabdia
• Hennes Tsang